GOP Lashes Out at Call for Revenue Raisers

Republicans on Wednesday pushed back strongly against President Barack Obama’s insistence that new revenue raisers be included in any deal to raise the debt ceiling.

Speaker John Boehner flatly stated that the president is “sorely mistaken” if he thinks such a plan could be approved by the House.

“The votes simply aren’t there — and they aren’t going to be there, because the American people know tax hikes destroy jobs. They also know Washington has been on a spending binge for many years, and they will only tolerate a debt limit increase if we stop it,” the Ohio Republican said in a statement.

He added, “A debt limit increase can only pass the House if it includes spending cuts larger than the debt limit increase; includes reforms to hold down spending in the future; and is free from tax hikes. The longer the President denies these realities, the more difficult he makes this process.”

Senate Finance ranking member Orrin Hatch also lashed out at Obama, saying in a statement that the president was advocating “bad policy.”

“We’ve seen this before. Back in 1990, a grand deficit reduction plan that included spending cuts and tax increases was passed. Almost as soon as the ink was dry, the spending shot back up and so too did our deficits,” the Utah Republican said.

Even House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi issued what appeared to be a backhanded compliment to the president.

“Bravo! This is the fight House Democrats have been making for the last six months under the Republican Majority as they move to end Medicare and continue tax breaks for Big Oil,” the California Democrat said.

House Democrats have long bristled at what they see as Obama’s unwillingness to go after GOP partisans on this and other issues.